


Raven Feathers

by Halmaithor



Series: Raven Feathers AU [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Temporary Character Death, Gen, Hopeful Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-07 21:16:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21224336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halmaithor/pseuds/Halmaithor
Summary: ‘Vex’ahlia. I have waited long for this moment, this opportunity.’ In the light of the new paths, the rest of the figure is now clear - a tall woman, dressed in a dark cloak. Black feathers strewn at her feet.Raven feathers. The penny drops. ‘You’re the Raven Queen.’Vex'ahlia dies in the Sunken Tomb, and faces a life-changing decision.





	Raven Feathers

She doesn’t have time to shout a warning, Percy’s already reaching for the armour -

A dull _boom_, and she feels herself blown backwards. There’s icy pain, but it’s fading fast and the darkness is already swallowing her vision, obscuring her sight of Trinket as he rolls across the ground. _Careful, darling,_ she thinks.

The darkness overtakes her entirely and the feeling of falling slows to a halt. It’s several seconds before she realises this time is different to all the other times she’s been knocked out - a normally instantaneous moment of darkness is stretching on far too long.  
Worry grips her. Perhaps she isn’t unconscious, just blinded and deafened to those around her. ‘Percy?’ she calls. ‘Zahra? Keyleth?’ Each name a little more frantic. None which get her a response.

A pale spot blinks into existence, shining through the darkness. It’s too hard to tell what it is from this distance, but she’s hesitant to get any closer. _Don’t go into the light,_ she hears. The joking voice in her head sounds like Scanlan.  
But another voice comes then, much louder and seemingly directionless. ‘Come, Vex’ahlia. We have much to discuss.’ The surface beneath her feet ignites in gentle light, carving her a footpath through the void.  
After a brief moment of hesitation, she follows it. _I can always turn back,_ she thinks. She hopes that’s true. 

The pale dot grows in size as she approaches, and she can see now the faint outline of static human features. A porcelain mask, floating at head height, seemingly staring straight at her. ‘Hello?’ She calls. ‘What is this? What’s going on?’  
_What’s going on?_ She swears she hears a slightly deeper echo up ahead, but the porcelain face does not answer.  
She keeps walking.

The path stops about ten feet in front of the figure - at first. As Vex reaches the end, there’s a _whoosh_ and two more paths appear before her; one curving slightly to the left, one turning more sharply to the right.  
The all-surrounding voice comes again. ‘Vex’ahlia. I have waited long for this moment, this opportunity.’ In the light of the new paths, the rest of the figure is now clear - a tall woman, dressed in a dark cloak. Black feathers strewn at her feet.  
_Raven feathers._ The penny drops. ‘You’re the Raven Queen.’  
‘Yes.’  
‘I’m dead. Your trap killed me.’ It comes out accusatory, and a warning flashes in the back of her mind. _Literally the goddess of death, Vex. Maybe you shouldn’t piss her off._  
But the voice stays indifferent. ‘Yes. I had to protect my champion from those we stood against, those who would defile him with undeath.’ A bitterness enters her tone, but only for a moment. ‘But enough talk of the past. You have a decision to make, as do all who stand at a fork in the road.’ 

She gestures slowly to the left path. ‘Your life was fated to end in that tomb, Vex’ahlia. Drawn into danger by your greed, extinguished by a moment of carelessness. This was your path - and were you still to take it, you would find yourself at peace, far from the material plane. But already, your friends try to bring you back to their side.’

Voices begin to echo from the right-hand path. Vax’s voice, then Keyleth’s:  
_What happened? I was only down there for thirty seconds-!_  
‘Revivify’, do ‘revivify’!  
The Raven Queen raises a hand, and the voices fade to a murmur. There’s more of them now, and Vex can almost see them all gathering around, trying desperately to fix her. She swallows hard, feeling the tears streak down her face. ‘Can I go to them? Please.’

‘You can, if you so choose. To bend so sharply from your destiny is not unheard of - especially for one such as you. It _is_ complicated, however, and so I would ask something in return for such a rearrangement.’  
_Anything,_ she thinks. Thankfully, her bargaining instinct runs deep enough to stop her saying that out loud.

The voices continue to echo quietly. _Whatever the fuck you’re going to do, do it!_  
She could destroy everything-  
**Do it.**  
What do you mean, she could destroy? What do you mean?

She tears her attention away. ‘What would you ask of me?’  
The mask remains expressionless, but there’s a smile in the voice that replies. ‘Your service. The forces of undeath move in far darker shadows than I, gathering strength. In the coming struggle, I will once again need greater influence on the material plane. A new champion. I have seen your strength, the will to fight that drives you through fear and darkness… Do this for me, Vex’ahlia, and you may walk amongst your friends once more.’  
A silence stretches between them as she takes in the offer. She can feel the longing to return to them, and it all but drags her down the right-hand path. But to live beholden to such an entity?

_We need one more offering,_ Kash says.  
Scanlan pipes up. _I could-_  
_No. I’ll do it._ Vax’s voice again, darker and angrier than she’s ever heard. _Take me instead, you raven bitch._  
‘No,’ she whispers, her voice catching on the panic that swells within her.  
But the Raven Queen merely chuckles. ‘Foolish boy. That is not his path to take… What is yours, Vex’ahlia? Make your choice.’

Vex hesitates for a moment longer - then begins to walk down the path to her right.

***

‘Take me instead, you raven bitch,’ he says. He can hear Keyleth gasp behind him, but any moment of regret for her sake is far overshadowed by his grief and desperation.

Seconds pass in silence. No-one dares move.  
Then there’s a sound like a rush of wind, and the light fades from Kash’s arm, his eyes blinking back to normal. Zahra’s moonstone grows dim.  
Vex doesn’t wake up.

‘…What happened? Why did it stop?’ Keyleth asks.  
Kash sighs. ‘It didn’t work. I’m sorry.’  
Vax gets the feeling that last part was directed at him, but he can’t answer. He just holds his sister tight in shaking arms, feeling the tears get faster and his breath become ragged as he leans down, closing his eyes as his forehead comes to rest against hers.

He can hear movement and murmurs start up around him. Zahra and Keyleth start to quietly sob, and are comforted by Kash and Kima respectively. Percy’s voice is barely audible, saying one thing over and over: ‘Oh gods. Oh gods, oh gods.’  
There’s a quiet clanking sound, and Vex’s weight shifts as Trinket wanders over and gently nudges her. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Vax’s heart breaks a little further. _She’s gone, buddy. We’ve lost her._

Then there’s an exclamation of surprise around the room, and Vax’s head whips up to see a dark figure standing before the sarcophagus. His heart begins to race with both hope and fear as he realises who it is, and he steels himself to make good on his offer.  
But the figure ignores him entirely, instead bending down over Vex. Trinket growls, but doesn’t make a move to stop her as she reaches out one spectral hand, caressing Vex’s cheek - then vanishes.

Vex opens her eyes. 

***

She blinks the room into focus. Percy’s still kneeling by the sarcophagus, Scanlan’s hand on his shoulder. Trinket’s looming just to her left. And Vax is holding her, looking down at her, his cheeks stained with tears. All of them are staring at her in sheer bewilderment.

She nods. ‘I’m alright.’ 

There’s a beat of silence, which is broken a moment later as everyone suddenly crowds around her. Trinket licks her face, and she laughs quietly, pushing him away. The rest of the room fills with questions.  
‘Wait, is she-‘  
‘Vex!’  
‘But the ritual failed-‘  
‘Are you alright, darling?’  
‘What happened?’  
She raises a hand, a little overwhelmed, trying to stave off the bombardment of conversation. ‘I can explain, alright? But can we get out of here first?’

Vax, who’s been quiet up until this point, nods. ‘Okay.’ He and Zahra help Vex to her feet, keeping one of her arms slung over his shoulders. Her legs are weak, and she’s happy to lean on him for a while. 

While Grog and Percy get to work collecting the contents of the sarcophagus, Keyleth walks over and clasps Vex’s hand. ‘I’m glad you’re alright.’ Her eyes are red from crying, and her voice is croaky, but she gives Vex a smile.  
The group process slowly and quietly from the tomb. Vex does her best to ignore how cold she feels, how often Vax’s eyes dart in her direction, and the growing sense of unease as she realises the scale of the deal she’s made. 

The new Champion of the Raven Queen stumbles out into the daylight, two black feathers tucked into her hair.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought, especially since I plan to add to this AU in the future! <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr:  
silver-latin-and-salt.tumblr.com


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